Melting the Lonely
by Doverstar
Summary: Since she was 7 years old, Elsa has had what she believes to be an imaginary friend, one who's been helping her with her icy gift and keeping her company in her isolation. A boy with a magic staff, white hair, and unusually warm eyes. When Elsa's coronation goes awry, she runs away from home. Can Jack Frost change her mind and help her face her fears? Or has Elsa stopped believing?
1. Chapter 1: Just Have Fun

**(Spoilers for** **_Frozen_****ahead! Enjoy. Tell me what you'd like to see in the next chapter. ~Doverstar)**

* * *

7-year-old Elsa's eyes popped open. Her little hands were shaking. Another nightmare. She'd dreamt everything was frozen. She'd dreamt her family was made of ice. She'd dreamt it was her fault.

She pushed the covers off and started to get up. She wanted her parents' comfort.

She stopped at the door. No, she couldn't go out.

Ever since the accident with Anna a year ago, she'd had to stay away from her younger sister. It must be early, early morning now. Anna would be awake. If the sun was awake, so was Anna. Elsa couldn't risk being asked to play or even have a snack now. Anna could be hurt again.

But it was one of those nightmares where you've just got to make sure everyone's really all right. Make sure it was only a dream. Yeah.

No no no! She wouldn't go out, not even to the hallway. Papa said to avoid Anna. She would avoid Anna.

She heard the familiar sounds of footsteps outside.

A whisper at the door, in a singsong voice. "Elsa? You awake? Elsa?" Her voice was sleepy.

Elsa bit her lip. She wondered if she should pretend to be snoring.

"Do you wanna build a snowman?" came the usual excited hiss. The one question that made Elsa want to spring up and hear her little sister giggle, see her hug Olaf.

But she still remained silent.

Anna waited. Elsa could see the shadow of her sister's feet beneath the door.

"Okay, bye," Anna mumbled, disappointed.

The shadow left the floor.

Elsa crept back into her bed. Hearing Anna's voice had calmed her a little. She tugged the covers around her.

If only she could go out and talk to...no, stay here. Conceal, don't feel, don't show it. Nobody was safe if she didn't stay in her room. Especially not her little sister.

Ice crept along the sheets where she gripped them. Fear pulsed through her, and the ice spread a bit.

"No no no no," Elsa whispered. "Conceal don't feel, conceal don't feel, conceal don't feel, don't feel, don't feel...don't..."

Her voice broke. It wasn't fair. She was so scared. So alone.

"I don't wanna be alone," she whispered aloud.

Her hands were numb with her inward chill. It stung her cheeks. Was she freezing herself now? She deserved it! The white streak in Anna's hair told her that every day.

The chill was getting worse. It whistled about her nose. The tip of her nose tickled.

Elsa saw pool-colored dots dance before her eyes. Was she getting sick because of the ice? Was she going blind? And no one would know until the sun came up! She'd go blind on her own! Or maybe she was dying. By herself in her room, before her parents could help her. All because she couldn't conceal. Terror shook her little heart.

It was growing stronger. Not the chill, the tickling on her nose. It made her want to laugh, it got so bad.

The windows blew open gently. Elsa stiffened and pulled the covers over her nose. The tickling didn't stop. She watched the window anxiously.

A boy dropped in. He had feathery white hair, like hers, but...frostier. Like frozen feathers sticking out everywhere. He wore a brown shawl and peasant clothing. In his hand he held a long, curved stick.

His eyes were the deepest blue she'd ever seen. How could eyes so warm belong to a person so cold?

Elsa sat up in curiosity. This was actually a welcome change. Better than laying there wondering if she was freezing herself to death. Maybe he could help? Or maybe she'd hurt him? Like she hurt Anna.

She wanted to call for her Papa, but the boy seemed to sense it and held a finger to his lips, eyes huge, shaking his head slightly.

"It's okay, it's okay," he said. "Don't scream. That's it."

Elsa blinked at him, eyebrows dipping. "Who are you?"

"I'm..." The boy's eyebrows raised where hers dropped. His lower jaw bobbed and shock made his face even paler. "I-I'm, uh-I'm-can you...hear me?"

Elsa nodded uncertainly. "Yes," she said. "Why aren't you whispering?"

His mouth fell open. "You can hear me?"

"Uh huh." Elsa nodded again. "Please, you're being too loud-Anna will hear you!"

He ran a hand through his hair, panting. "She can hear me. She can...hang on, so-can you see me? R-Right, right here-" He waved a hand. "Can you see me?"

Elsa's nervousness dissolved. This was too interesting. Anna would be bouncing around him by now, firing questions and trying to steal his stick.

She lifted a cautious hand and twiddled her fingers to wave back. "Yeah."

"No way!" He let out a whoop. "Yes!" He backflipped, right there in her chambers! Wow!

Nevertheless, Elsa flinched. "Shhh!"

The boy was grinning with perfect teeth, but through the grin he managed to whisper excitedly, "Oh, right, right, sorry. Sorry, it's just-you really see me?"

Elsa pushed the covers away. "Sure."

He seemed to calm down now, believing it. He continued to smile, though.

He crouched and blinked up at her. "Don't worry. Nobody else hears me. How are you doing it?"

Elsa tensed. "D...Doing what?" How could he know already?

"Seeing." He whispered it earnestly, as if it were a secret.

Elsa cocked her head like a bird, intelligent eyes glittering. "I don't understand."

"No one ever sees me," he explained. "I'm...invisible."

"Why?"

"The Moon made it like this. Never knew why." He shrugged.

Elsa watched him, enchanted. "But what are you doing here?"

"I came to help. Looked like you could use-" He started to walk up to her from across the room.

Elsa's heart lurched the way it had for a while now when people got close up. Her dream came back to her. Her hands shook. She raised her palms.

"No, stay back!" she ordered, suddenly nauseous.

He stopped. "What's wrong?"

"It's coming up." Elsa stared at him frantically. "I feel it-you might get hurt."

His brows furrowed. "Wait. What?"

"I-I have this..." Elsa bit her tongue. "Um...No one can hear you?"

He shook his head.

Elsa took a deep breath. Come to think of it, well, this whole thing just felt like another dream. No harm saying it in a dream, right?

"I have powers."

Up till now, it felt like something had been blocking her throat. But with those three words, she could breathe so much better than ever before.

"Oh yeah?" His voice was kind. He didn't seem surprised. "What kind of powers?"

Elsa let it go-just a little. A snowball sparkled into her hand. She dropped it on the floor as if it were poison. It began to melt.

She studied the boy's face. His smile came back. He chuckled. Then it grew to a full laugh.

"It's not, um, sorcery," Elsa mumbled uncomfortably. The little girl hasn't been expecting laughter. "Promise."

He chortled.

"What's so funny?" Elsa snapped, irritated. Boys were all the same. "Why are you laughing?"

"Because."

He lifted his curved stick. Blue light curled around it and exploded from the tip.

From out of nowhere, it began snowing in Elsa's room.

But the moment the snowflakes touched her, Elsa swallowed a yelp and drew back. Her head bumped against the bedpost as they landed harmlessly on her nightgown.

He saw the color drain from her face. "You okay?"

Snow in her bedroom. Falling everywhere, just like in her nightmare. Glowing with magic. Piling on the dresser. Covering everything. Surrounding her. Suffocating her.

The little girl made the sound you make when you're trying to get around a lump in your throat.

"It's d-dangerous," Elsa gulped. "You have it too."

Was she hyperventilating? She was gasping for breath around that lump. Tears were fast approaching. She hated being sick with anxiety. She hated being alone all the time and keeping it all in. Every breath but a long space between each word.

He looked confused. "Yeah. But it's okay; it's not-"

"I-I-can't-control it," she stammered. The poor thing was terrified. "Not safe. I can't-"

Definitely hyperventilating. Mama did that when Anna broke one of her prize sculptures once.

"Woah, woah, woah, slow down," he told her gently. "What do you mean?"

Elsa couldn't keep the fear from her voice. The nightmare seemed so real now.

"I'm dangerous," she repeated quietly, hugging herself. "I'm dangerous to everybody. They have to stay away. So I'm all by myself."

She started to cry. But it felt great to tell someone.

He set his stick down and walked up to her anyway. "Hey, hey, come on, that's not true."

He sat down beside her. Her shoulders shook.

"It's gonna be all right," he promised. "Don't cry. It's okay."

She kept crying. Didn't lean in. The child behaved as if he hadn't moved.

The boy tried again. "I'm Jack Frost, by the way. What's your name?" He bent his head to look her in the face.

Elsa's eyes opened a bit through her tears. She took her hands away from her eyes. "Elsa."

"Hey, that's pretty. Nice to meet you, Elsa."

Elsa sniffled. "Your name is F-Frost?" she hiccuped.

"Jack Frost. Funny, huh?" He lifted a hand and touched the bedpost. Frost patterns stretched across it.

Elsa let out a little snort of amusement. Then she slowly put her foot to the floor. Blue sparks danced across the wood and ice covered the planks before melting.

Jack grinned. "See? Magic. It's in you too. That must've been how you saw me."

Elsa nodded numbly. "How'd you get it?"

His smile faded and he shrugged. "Just woke up one day in the woods and sorta figured it out on my own."

"Did they tell you not to use it?"

"Who?"

"Your Mama and Papa."

Jack gave a small grunt that may have been the beginning of another laugh. One of those laughs grown-ups do when they think something isn't funny at all.

"I don't have any family," he admitted. "Nobody's even talked back till now."

Elsa nodded. She got it. "So you're all alone like me."

Jack blinked those warm blue eyes. "What do you mean? We're not alone!" his voice was soft but cheery. "Not anymore, right?" He elbowed her gently.

Elsa didn't reply.

Jack nudged her again. "Right?"

Elsa looked at her lap, trying to hide a shy smile. He'd hit that spot in your side that tickles. On purpose?

"Well? Right?" He did it again, twice, nudging her back and forth. "Riiight?"

Elsa finally giggled. "Right."

She smiled at him and he smiled back.

"Hey, who's Anna?" Jack asked suddenly, running his hand along the frost he'd put on the bedpost.

"My little sister." Elsa blew a stray white bang out of her face, opening up now. "She's four. And funny. And loud."

"Sounds like a real cutie." Jack grinned. "Does she, uh...?" He let a snowflake flutter out of a palm to demonstrate.

"No." Elsa's smile faded and she shook her head. "It was always just me."

"How'd you get these powers, anyway?" He cocked his head at her.

She shrugged. "Mama says I was born with it."

"That's rough." Jack stood up and began wandering around the room. He left his staff on the floor.

He made his way to her vanity. He touched the top of her tiara. "So you're a princess, huh?"

Elsa nodded again, this time with a smaller smile.

Jack turned on his heel and bowed to her. "Your Majesty."

Elsa laughed. "That's what all the grown-ups call me!"

Jack's head came up mid-bow. "Really?"

Elsa chewed her lower lip, trying not to laugh again for fear of alerting Anna. There was something very entertaining about this tall, strange boy.

"Yeah, like those dukes and boring mustache guys from the other kingdoms."

"Are you calling me boring?" Jack raised his eyebrows.

Elsa shrugged.

"Uh oh." Jack straightened up. "We gotta fix that."

He picked up his staff and tapped it against the floor. Ice danced over the ground of the room.

Elsa blinked at him, fresh fear assailing her as she watched the magic.

Jack skated on his bare feet around the bed, then stopped in front of her. "Coming?"

Elsa pulled her legs up from the side of the bed and tucked them beneath her. "Uh uh."

"Aw, come on," he coaxed. "I won't let you fall. Promise."

Elsa lifted her head. "I wouldn't fall! I can skate."

"Prove it!" Jack slid backward to give her room.

Elsa shook her head.

"Don't be scared," Jack held up both hands. "It's not dangerous."

"Yes it is. It's always dangerous!"

"Look, it's not your magic. It's mine, right? It doesn't hurt anybody."

Elsa's eyes dropped to the floor nervously.

"Neither does yours," Jack ventured. "Just have some fun. You'll see."

Elsa rested her chin on her knees. Fun didn't matter anymore. Fun was what got Anna hurt. Fun was dangerous too. Especially with her particular brand.

Jack crossed his arms. "It's okay if you can't skate."

Elsa's eyes drifted up indignantly. "I _can_!"

"No, really, it's fine."

"I can skate!" Elsa insisted.

"Whatever you say, kiddo."

"I'm the best skater in Arendelle!"

"Sure."

"In the whole world!"

Jack lifted his chin. "Not better than me."

"Yes huh!"

"No way!"

Elsa slid one foot tentatively onto the icy floor.

"Take your time," teased Jack, skating back and forth, his arms locked behind his head. He held his staff in both hands over his freeze-dried mop top.

She crossed her eyes at him. He stuck his tongue out at her.

Elsa wobbled a bit. She stumbled forward.

"Careful," Jack warned. "Takes a minute to get-"

She zoomed past him, braid flying, hands folded behind her back.

Jack twisted around to watch her push off the nightstand and twirl back toward him.

She spun a little too fast; she would've crashed into him if he hadn't caught both hands.

"I take it back!" he whistled. "Wow. Pretty fancy stuff, Elsa-but can you do this?"

He skated on one foot, then the other, hopped from one to the other four times, and circled her once before coming to a stop and smirking down at her.

Elsa put her hands on her hips. "Watch me!"

One tickle-nudge and you've won the heart of any little girl.

She copied his moves, hopping five times instead of four, and adding a curtsy when she stopped beside her new companion.

Jack's face was a picture of delight. "Now that was skating," he praised. "What else can you do?"

Elsa showed him she could do one half of Arendelle's formal waltz on the ice. "It's much easier doing it skating, though," she informed him.

Jack rubbed his chin. "Looks kinda dull," he observed. "Let's liven it up a little."

He did the other half with her, but much faster than she'd been taught, though she caught on quickly. He twirled her three times in the middle, spun her in close, then out with one arm stretched. At one point they knocked into the wall, and the hook in Jack's staff knocked him on the head, which set Elsa into a fit of giggles.

He gave her a piggy-back ride, then they had a race from one end of the room to the other.

Elsa was laughing so hard by now that Anna surely must have heard her. But no one knocked on the door. It was still dark out.

They sat on the bed to rest for a moment. Elsa dangled her legs back and forth off the edge.

"You're really fast," she panted. "Your legs are long."

"Is that why I beat you?"

"You cheated!"

"What?"

"You did!"

"Oh, really?"

He tickled her and she let out a shriek of hysteria.

Suddenly, in her joy, white sparks flew from her flailing hands.

Elsa stopped laughing and Jack drew back. She gasped and jammed both hands under her own arms. Her brows dipped and the mirth in her eyes was replaced with a dark kind of stillness.

She started shaking. "That was r-really strong," she mumbled.

Jack paused. Then he put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry about it. It's not gonna hurt you."

Elsa squeezed her eyes shut. "Jack," she whispered, "I'm scared."

"No! You?" When she didn't respond, Jack shook his head and got serious again. "How come?"

"It's dangerous." Hadn't she explained already?

"Not to you," Jack assured her. "It's _your_ magic, Elsa. You control it."

Elsa didn't look at her friend.

Jack leaned closer, trying to make her open her eyes. This little girl needed him. It felt so good to be needed.

"You can control your fear too." Long as you keep-"

"I can't." She sniffled.

"Sure you can. Look at all the fun we had. You controlled it then. You weren't scared. You were great."

"I didn't use it then!"

"So use it now." He got up. "We'll do it together." Jack set his staff on her bed.

Elsa glanced up at him and crawled off the bed. The ice melted from the floor.

"Follow my lead. You can do it." Jack held up both hands and cupped them.

Elsa mimicked him.

Jack blew into his hands. A snowball appeared.

Elsa's fingers trembled. "What if I hurt you?"

Jack gave her a half smile. "I'll be all right. It can't do anything to me." He tossed the snowball up and down. "You're not the only one with powers, remember?"

"But I can't..." Elsa's heart still pounded. She dropped her hands. "I can't-"

"Hey, don't start that again. You're doing good so far, okay? You've got this, Elsa. Just have fun. It's for fun."

She closed her eyes and lifted her hands again.

"Come on. Don't be afraid."

Elsa swirled her hands around the growing ball of light in between them. Snowflakes skittered out from it.

"There you go. You're doing it!"

She took a deep breath. She remembered all the snowball fights she'd had with Anna, before the accident. All the pretend games with Olaf, their favorite creation. All the snowbank slides. It's been a blast. She wanted to do it again.

Jack watched the girl eagerly. "That's it," he murmured. "Let it go. Use it for something good. Something you'll like. Something-"

"Fun." Elsa's eyes flew open.

The light flew to the ceiling and popped like a firework. Snow caked the room. Steep mounds appeared. Little forts in the corner by the toy chest.

Elsa turned around and around, energy surging through her. "I did it," she whispered in surprise. No one was injured or unconscious. It was beautiful! Just like she remembered.

"Hey, who's this little guy?"

Elsa glanced over her shoulder and saw Jack crouching in front of a lifeless snowman twice her size. He turned and beamed at her, letting her know she'd done well.

She walked to his side, still a little starstruck. "That's Olaf. I used to make him for Anna to play with every day." She folded her hands in front of her and added proudly, "He likes warm hugs."

"Yeah? Sounds like we've got something in common," Jack decided. "I like warm hugs too."

Elsa blinked. "You do?"

Jack shrugged. "Never had one. But now that you mention it-"

He stopped, inhaling sharply. He glanced down. Elsa had wrapped her little arms around his waist and was squeezing slightly, to share more body heat, apparently. Her eyes were closed.

Jack had never ever been hugged before for as far back as he could remember. And that wasn't too far back. He could swear every single snowflake in his being was melting.

He had given this 7-year-old Princess a piggyback ride, took her hands to dance with her, and put an arm about her shoulders to make her feel safe.

But none of those little touches compared to this!

Jack Frost felt positively cozy.

He had no idea what to do. Well, yes he did; he'd seen normal humans hug plenty of times before. He wanted to hug his young companion back, but usually if one hugged back, the hug was over shortly after. Maybe if he stood still, she wasn't allowed to let go until he returned the embrace. Perhaps that was the rule. And he wanted to make this last. A really, really long time. This was incredible!

But she pulled away after a few seconds and stared up at him with huge sky-colored eyes.

"Sorry!" she squeaked, suddenly looking shy. "Too tight?"

Jack's initial shock started to ebb. His panting came to a halt.

He knelt down and was about to scoop her up when a knock came at the door.

"Elsa?"

"Oh no," whispered Elsa. "It's Anna!"

She ran over and climbed up onto her bed. Jack stayed where he was, knowing that even if Anna opened the door, she wouldn't see him.

He became interested, though, when the toddler voice outside started singing.

The knock came again, five times.

"_Do you wanna build a snowman_?" came the song.

Elsa pulled the covers over her head. The snow in the room disappeared.

"_C'mon, let's go and play!_

_I never see you anymore,_

_Come out the door,_

_It's like you've gone away!_

_We used to be best buddies,_

_But now we're not._

_I wish you would tell me why_!"

Jack glanced at Elsa. Elsa pulled her head out from under the covers, examined the now snowless room, and looked back at him anxiously. Anna was peeking underneath the door; they saw her silhouette.

Jack winked. He mouthed, "Invisible!"

Elsa smiled.

In the hall, the song continued. It sounded like the girl was speaking through the keyhole.

"_Do you wanna build a snowman?_

_It doesn't have to be a snowman!"_

Jack bit back a snicker.

Elsa called out, faking the annoyance of an older sibling, "Go away, Anna!"

A disappointed reply. "Okay, bye..."

Anna sounded so miserable that Jack wanted to demand why Elsa hadn't accepted her sister's offer.

Then he saw the pain in the ice girl's eyes, and he thought better of it.

Elsa got out of bed again and yawned. She went back over to him and looked as though she were going to ask him something.

Then another knock came at her door.

"Elsa? Wake up, dear. Breakfast is on its way! Five minutes!"

Elsa responded quickly, "I'm up, Mama!"

Footsteps echoed as her mother left down the hall.

Sunlight came in through the window. Jack summoned a gust of winter window to blow back the curtains. It was snowing outside.

He went to the windowsill slowly.

Elsa ran after him. "Do you have to leave?"

Jack turned to her, running a hand through his hair. "'Fraid so, kiddo. Can't keep you from your breakfast."

Elsa tugged on his shawl. "Don't go, Jack."

He was surprised to see her eyes full of tears again, this time much larger tears.

"If you go, I'll be alone again." Her voice broke. "I get scared when I'm alone."

"Hey," he said, crouching before her, "you're gonna be fine. You can control it. Just remember to have fun with it. Okay?"

She wiped her eyes. "Okay."

"I'll be back to visit."

"Promise?"

"I promise."

She held out her arms and he realized with glee what she wanted before he left.

Jack pulled her into a big bear hug and she threw her arms around his neck.

"You give really good hugs," she offered. "I can't breathe!"

He let go a little. "Sorry." Then a thought came to him. "Wait, you're not...y'know...freezing?"

Elsa pulled back just enough to look him in the face. "What?"

"I can only keep things cold." Jack glanced down at her. She wasn't even shivering. "You don't feel it?"

"I do." Elsa went back to hugging him with a prideful shrug of one shoulder. "But it's okay."

"It is, huh?"

"Uh huh. Feels good!" She grinned, and in that moment, no one had ever looked less alone or afraid. "The cold never bothered me anyway."

* * *

**(Author's Note: Okay, next little chapter is coming up. Again, reviews are appreciated, and let me know what would be cool to see in the next chapter! This fic'll be shorter than my others, but I just couldn't bear it anymore. Had to write it. ~Doverstar)**


	2. Chapter 2: Control It

**(Whew! Well, _this _one took a bit. Enjoy! Don't forget to review! This chapter takes place during one of the instrumental scenes in the movie as the song _Do You Wanna Build A Snowman _is performed! The first bits of dialogue between Elsa and her father are not mine, but belong to Disney! The rest is indeed my writing. ~Doverstar)**

* * *

12-year-old Elsa stood in her room, her parents watching as ice crept from beneath her feet. It covered the wall behind her.

She turned to them, voice raspy with nerves. "I'm scared," she wailed. "It's getting stronger!"

Her father exchanged a glance with her mother. "Getting upset only makes it worse," he told her gently. "Calm down-"

He went to stroke her hair like he used to, but Elsa drew back.

"No!" cried the girl. "Don't touch me! Please. I don't wanna hurt you."

The ice cracked a little. This was too much. The troll had said fear would be her enemy, and he was right. But she couldn't force it down. It was everywhere. She imagined an icy streak in her Papa's hair. She imagined Mama's chocolate-brown locks turned ghostly white. Just like Anna.

Anna could have died that night. Her darling little sister. Her funny, clumsy, wonderful little sister. And Elsa would've been responsible. She could've killed her very best friend at only 6 years old.

She could do that to her parents too. She could do that to anyone. One of the maids could come in with supper and if Elsa took off the gloves, if she was having a bad day or even got a little restless, that maid could be frozen solid in a matter of seconds.

The gloves...light blue and soft as the coat of a baby reindeer. They helped. Her father had had them magically soaked by the trolls. It'd been an early 9th birthday gift. Her ice powers were half sustained as long as she wore them.

But even those stupid, enchanted gloves wouldn't keep her family safe from the storm.

Elsa glanced up at her Papa. She took a deep breath. "Sorry."

He gave her a kind look, tried to put a hand on her shoulder, but she rejected it with a slight step backward. "It's all white outside, Elsa," he said. "Anna will be lonely, making snow angels on her own."

Elsa looked away.

"You don't have to stay in your room anymore," Mama said earnestly. "You have your gloves. You can go and play-"

"No," Elsa interrupted quickly. "I-It's fine. I'm...I'm tired. I need some quiet."

Another look was exchanged. Grown-ups.

Papa led Mama out of the room. "Let us know if you change your mind."

Elsa nodded.

He was halfway out, one hand on the long iron door handle. Then he leaned back in. "Elsa..."

Elsa forced a trembly smile. "I'm okay."

He smiled back, then closed the door.

She turned toward her vanity and set her gloves down on it. Her foot slid, just a little, on the ice that still sparkled on her floor.

She backed away from it. "I'm okay," she told herself again.

She heard Anna's giggle down the hall. Feet slid right past her door and stopped. Elsa heard her sister hesitate with a creak of the floorboards. She heard that disappointed sigh. Then Anna was gone, dashing downstairs.

Elsa leaned against the wall. More magic pulsed from her fingers and made the already-present ice thicker.

"I'm okay..." She murmured.

Her voice echoed in that big, empty room. One bed. One vanity. One window. One girl.

Alone with her curse.

She sank to the floor, still slumped against the wall.

"I'm okay."

She whispered it this time, but it had to fight past a lump in her throat.

Elsa drew up her knees and hugged them, burying her face in her arms. Sobs racked her body.

Suddenly something nudged her in the ribs.

Elsa's head shot up.

A boy with white hair and a long staff sat beside her.

"Jack?" Elsa didn't wipe the tears from her cheeks.

He looked exactly the same.

Jack crossed his arms over his knees. "You don't look okay."

His mischievous smile had been replaced with a frown of concern.

Elsa reached out one finger and poked him in the shoulder. He watched her neutrally.

"You're real," she mumbled.

"Uh..." Jack raised his eyebrows. He stood up and clutched his staff. "Last I checked."

She tackled him in a hug.

Jack couldn't help grinning; it'd been so long since he was hugged. Especially when she'd been the last one to do so.

"Woah," he said softly, affectionately. "Somebody got tall."

Elsa pulled away. "You're real!"

Jack smiled.

She rubbed one arm with a hand. "Where were you?"

"What do you mean?" Jack blinked. "I was standing right there." He gestured with a hand to the corner.

Was he? She hadn't seen him at all.

"No. I mean..." Elsa looked at her feet. "This whole time. It's been years. Lots of years."

Jack's eyes drifted to the window. "Yeah..." He messed his hair with a hand. "I got...sidetracked."

Elsa turned and walked around the room, her back to him, not knowing what to do with her feet, an uncertain pre-teen.

"I thought you weren't gonna come back," she mumbled.

"But I promised."

Elsa didn't answer directly. "I...kind of started thinking you were..."

Jack's face grew still. His grip on his staff tightened. If she'd looked up into his eyes, she'd see fear very similar to her own there.

"I thought you were just a dream." Elsa tucked a strand of hair into her braid. "Like...make-believe."

Jack stared at her, chest heaving a bit, before she glanced his way and he had to pull himself together.

"But I'm here," he said eagerly, spreading his arms. "I'm back. I promised, remember?"

Elsa bit her lip.

He stepped forward and pinched her arm.

"Ouch!"

"There, see?" Jack lifted his chin and offered a more lopsided smile. "Here I am. You're not dreaming, Elsa."

Elsa wouldn't look at him now. She rubbed the place he'd pinched, and she seemed to be pouting in a painful way. She didn't want to forgive him yet.

He nudged her again. "See?"

No answer.

"No, huh? Maybe tickling helps."

Elsa's head came up at that. He was giving her a very impish, almost maniacal look.

"No!" she gasped, dashing to the other side of the room when she realized he meant it.

Jack sprang after her, and away they went, round and round her chambers, not skating this time but playing tag in a way. If Jack caught her (and he was going easy on her, it must be said) he'd do so by picking her up under the arms and tickling her in her sides. Then he'd let her squirm out of his grasp.

"You're getting faster, kiddo," Jack panted as they sat on the window seat together.

"Yes," Elsa agreed. "Five years faster."

Jack let his staff lean against the wall beside him. "Sorry," he muttered.

She observed his eyes and saw the warmth starting to go out a little, as if her words were water to the flame.

"No, it's okay." Elsa straightened her shoulders. "I'm okay."

Jack watched her for about three full minutes, not smiling, not nodding, completely unconvinced.

"Huh." He got to his feet. "What happened over here?"

He picked up his staff and pointed it at the ice all over the corner.

Elsa inhaled sharply. "Me."

Jack glanced at her over his shoulder.

Elsa felt tears coming and she bent her head before he could see them fall. It was as if all her torment was reflected in the sheet of glittering shards on the wall.

Jack closed his eyes. He put both hands on his staff and blue sparks spiraled along its end.

Snow began falling in the room. It piled rapidly on the bed. It came up to his ankles in just a few minutes.

Elsa wasn't in awe, just surprised and confused. What was he doing?

Jack clawed a handful of snow off the floor and molded it into a ball, slowly. "Duck."

"What?"

It hit her in the nose.

"Pff!" Elsa spat, trying to get the snow out of her mouth. "Jack!"

Jack got another one ready. "Told you to duck!"

Elsa ducked this time, but it got her toe.

"Hey! That stung."

"Oh, I thought it didn't bother you!"

"It doesn't!"

"Heads up!" He threw another one and it hit the window.

"Stop it!" Elsa cried. "Anna will see!"

"Only way to stop me," Jack informed her, still arming himself, "is to hit me. I dare you!"

Elsa winced when he actually aimed for the window this time. She hopped off its seat.

"Come get me, Princess!" Jack taunted, making faces and stepping around swiftly.

Elsa narrowed her eyes. She picked up some snow and tossed it at him. It glanced off his shoulder, putting cold powder on his brown shawl.

"You can do better than that!"

Elsa tried again and grazed his head. The tips of his already-white hair sparkled with bits of the frozen ammo. He smirked at her and she rolled her eyes.

"Hold still!"

"Missed me!"

"Ja-ack!"

He hit her in the arm but used his staff to make more ammunition for her. Elsa's aim was poor and her fingers slippery. Jack's snow felt too real. There was something unfamiliar about real snow.

Jack leaned against her vanity with his arms crossed. "Give up?"

Elsa did it without thinking about it. She summoned magic, felt the storm whirl in her favor, explode from her palms. A slightly-blue snowball sat in her hands, perfectly round and tight.

She'd thrown it before she could blink. It got him square in the mouth.

Jack blinked a few times. Then he laughed. "Not so hard when you're having fun, huh?" he spluttered, wiping the snow from his face.

Elsa was horrified. "Oh no," she mumbled, staring at her hands. "A-Are you okay? I didn't mean..."

Jack cut her off with another chuckle. "Nice shot!"

Elsa didn't answer. She curled her fingers into fists and started moving away from him.

Jack's smile fell. "Hey, I'm fine. No harm done. It's-"

"It's not okay," Elsa interrupted. "I could've hurt you!"

Jack didn't argue. He didn't say she was right, either. He just looked at her.

"I can't use it!" Elsa put her gloves on. "Conceal, don't feel," she murmured to herself. "Conceal, don't feel."

Jack's eyes were full of sympathy. He stepped over and took her wrist, holding her hand up so he could examine it. His fingers weren't warm like hers; they were hard and cold. Almost the same texture as snow when it'd been out all night, and you went to play in it the next morning only to find it was spiky and numbing.

But to Elsa, it felt pleasant. Like the first autumn breeze after a sweltering summer, or a sip of water after a day in the sun.

"They keep the storm away," Elsa muttered for explanation, noticing the way he examined the glove curiously.

A hard look came into Jack's eyes. He pulled the glove off her hand.

"Gimme that!" Elsa reached for it, but he held it out of her reach. He was still at least two heads taller than her.

"You don't need these," Jack told her, shaking it in her face a little. "You can control it without them."

"No, I can't."

"I've seen you."

"Jack, please. Give it back."

"You just have to focus!"

"I want my glove back!"

"Listen-"

"No! It's too strong! Give it back, Jack!" Elsa glared at him. "Right now!"

Jack refused. "Didn't you see what you were doing with that snowball? It didn't hurt. That was you. Not your gloves!"

Elsa snatched her glove back and tugged it on. "I just can't, okay?"

She could feel his eyes on her as she turned her back on him and went to sit on her bed. Her heart was pounding hard. What if she had hurt her friend after all? What if he just didn't feel it yet? But how would she know, when his hair was always white? Elsa gritted her teeth. She wanted to believe him, to be honest. If Jack was right, she could be outside building snowmen with Anna and see her sister smile again.

But what if he was wrong?

Jack was suddenly at her bedpost. "Ever played hopscotch?" he asked suddenly.

Elsa blinked twice, staring up at him. Was this his way of apologizing? So different from Papa's or Anna's. They just came right out and begged forgiveness. Jack had only done that once since they'd met. Did that mean he was really sorry then? Was he actually sorry now? Maybe he wasn't subtly apologizing. He probably still thought he was right.

Jack shrugged. "Saw some kids doing it in the village down there."

She picked a piece of lint off her skirt. "I'm no good at it." Why not humor him? Felt better than being angry.

"It looked like fun." It also looked oddly familiar, but he wasn't going to dwell on that. It was like a tendril of dream he couldn't snag.

Elsa sighed. "Okay."

"We won't even use magic." Jack took a charcoal pencil from her nightstand and drew a pattern on the floor.

He smiled at her.

Elsa managed a smile back and joined him. He went first and left his staff on the ground so that he couldn't use it for balance. Then Elsa took a turn.

"Don't fall."

"I won't."

"Really, don't fall."

"I'm not."

"You're falling. Don't fall."

"I've got it, Jack!"

"Two more. Don't fall!"

"Hush!"

"Balance, Princess."

"I'm _not_ falling!"

"Shh, hang on..."

"What's wrong?"

"Hear that?"

"Jack."

"It's the sound of you falling."

"Stop making me laugh! I'm concentrating!"

"You're gonna fall."

"Not if I make this last jump! I'm gonna beat you."

"Are not."

"Are too."

"Nah."

"Yes I will!"

"What's that over there?"

"What? ...Jack! No sticks allowed! Hey!"

"Uh oh, Princess-there you go!"

"Stop it; that's cheating-woah!"

"Ouch! Looks like I win."

"You pushed me!"

"Rematch?"

"Yes!"

They played hopscotch about four rounds before Jack seemed satisfied that he'd cheered her up.

Elsa flopped down on her bed and he sat cross-legged beside her.

"It's almost time to eat," she said.

"Oh, good. What's for supper?" He leaned back on his palms.

"Salad."

"Yikes." Jack lay on his back and let his head hang off the side of the bed, staff positioned across his abdomen. "No wonder you're upset."

Elsa's voice was thin. "I'm not upset."

There was a moment of silence. Elsa hugged a pillow to her chest. She was uncomfortable with the way he seemed to grow still when she denied her pain. It was as if his existence-his presence-got thicker when she pushed it all down. Like he was adding to the storm by fixing those warm blue eyes on her, making it stronger, heavier. Her friend became more visible when each breath made her fade a bit more.

Jack sat up a little to look at her. "How come you don't open the door?"

"Huh?" Elsa sat up too. "What do you mean?"

"For your sister. When she knocks you don't even open the door for her."

"How do you know?"

Jack's expression pinched in confusion. "It's not like I stayed away the whole time."

Elsa's features twisted to match his. "But you did."

He came completely up, staff now rolling into his lap. "I came to the window," he argued, shaking his head. "Always kinda seemed like a bad time." He glanced down. "I knocked, but you...didn't notice, I guess."

Elsa was indignant. "You must've been at the wrong window, then. I would've heard you."

Jack blinked. "But I saw you."

Elsa shrugged. "I don't open the door so she doesn't see."

"See what?"

Elsa stared at her hands, wringing them."What I can do."

"I don't understand," Jack said. "Your mom and dad know. Why can't she?"

Elsa was quiet.

Jack fiddled with his shawl. "She's lonely too," he told her. "I can see it."

"I know."

"So why-"

"Because!" Elsa had become extremely agitated now. "I already hurt her once! If I do it again..."

Jack's eyes widened. "Wait, wait, slow down. What are you talking about?"

Elsa turned her head away. "Never mind."

"No, tell me." Jack leaned in. "I'm listening."

So she told him. She told him how she and Anna had been so rambunctious when they were little, a year before she'd met him. How Anna had begged to play with her sister in Elsa's magic snow. They'd built Olaf and slid down snowbanks and skated through the Great Hall. It'd been fantastic. Anna was the only one who could ever truly appreciate Elsa's gift, love Elsa even more because of it, brag on her sister's talent to her parents all the time, telling them how amazing Elsa was and how amazing she would be even without the snow.

"She was jumping too fast," Elsa whispered to finish. "I tried to catch her and I hit her and..." She glared at her fingertips. "And I almost lost her."

"And you've been scared ever since," Jack mumbled. He looked at his staff, turning it over and over in his hands. "That's why you can't control it."

Elsa nodded. "They took her to the trolls-"

"Woah, what?"

"Trolls. They're in the woods." Elsa sighed. "They fixed Anna but she..." She sniffled and wiped her nose on her sleeve. Jack liked her better because of that. Less like a princess and more like a kid. Elsa went on. "She can't remember I have powers."

"I saw her hair," Jack allowed himself a small smile of amusement. "Talk about a fashion statement. Is that because of...?"

Elsa nodded. "Every time I see it...it happens all over again in my head. I get _so_..." She took a deep breath. "Terrified. I guess."

"You know..." Jack rubbed his chin and kept his tone kind and light, hoping it would spread to her. "If you learn to control your powers, you don't have to be stuck in here all the time."

"But I _can't_-"

Suddenly Jack clapped a hand over her mouth. "Nope! No _can'ts_, got it? You can do it. 'Cuz I'm gonna teach you."

Elsa stared at him with wide eyes behind his large, cold hand. She said something muffled.

"You're not saying _I_ can't, are you?"

She shook her head.

He took his hand off.

"How?"

Jack shrugged. "Believe me, I've got spare time." He smiled. "It'll be a snap."

Elsa grinned. "But how much do I need?"

"How much do you need? How much do you-as long as I _say_!" He tickled her and she let out a raspy giggle like she'd been waiting to do so for years. "We'll get it done, don't worry."

"But you'll be here for a long time."

"Yeah." Jack straightened up. "Is that okay?"

Elsa smiled. "Only if you don't snore."

"Look who's talking!"

"I do _not _snore!"

"I've heard you; you're like a thunderstorm!"

Elsa laughed, but hearing the word _thunderstorm_ stabbed the laugh till it faded away. Storm. A howling storm. That was what she called the untamed ice surging within her. Fright made her stomach churn.

"You're not gonna leave again?" She checked, pulling at his white sleeve.

Jack smiled. "I'm not going anywhere."

* * *

**(Next chapter on its way! Detailed reviews are appreciated! Sorry for the wait; you guys are great! ~Doverstar)**


	3. Chapter 3: Spring Cleaning

Jack let the winter wind carry him over the kingdom. It was a gorgeous and friendly town outside the castle. Too bad about those gates-Elsa would love playing tag with that group of munchkins over there. Why had the royal family put the walls around their yard, anyway? He'd been meaning to ask her that.

"Hey! Sven!"

Jack dropped down beside a blonde boy. He was sturdily-built, a pre-teen, with a sweet smile. He sat in a miniature wooden sleigh, allowing a young reindeer to drag it along. Jack had to summon the wind again to keep up with them.

"Nice ride!" he chuckled to the boy, but of course he wasn't heard.

The boy jiggled his reins and didn't give Jack so much as a glance, completely oblivious.

"Sven!" He called again to his reindeer. "C'mon, slow down!"

Jack grinned, shawl flapping beneath him as he lay on his back against the wind current.

"'But I'm hungry, Kristoff!'"

Frost was surprised. The boy had done the deep, gruff voice so perfectly, he'd thought for a moment that the reindeer really had responded. But the blonde was speaking in the animal's place!

"Tough! You're not getting supper anyway if we crash!" scolded the boy, Kristoff.

Sven began to trot, slowing down as commanded, rolling his eyes.

Well, that was a bummer. What use was a sleigh if you were gonna take the scenic route? Boring!

"Watch out!" Jack crowed, suddenly shooting in front of them. "Slippery!"

With his staff he created an ice path for the sled. Sven's trot grew messy, and his hooves slid on the glassy surface.

"Where'd that come from?" Kristoff sounded more annoyed than shocked. "It's not even cold out!"

Jack zipped alongside, one arm behind his head in a relaxed way as the wind pooled beneath his body. "Easy for you to say. You even breathing under all that?"

It was true. Kristoff was clothed in at least four layers of mountain-savvy cotton.

A fruit kart was being pushed just ahead.

Kristoff yelped. "Sven, stop! Stop stop stop!"

Sven snorted. Couldn't stop. Jack loved the look on the creature's face. A look of "I am so done with life." Priceless.

Jack's attention was drawn back to the situation at hand. "Woah, hang on, Kristoff, I gotcha!"

He jerked the ice path to the right. Kristoff, Sven, and the sleigh all ended up in a snowbank.

Jack leaned against a lamppost. He'd have to do this again someday. It was hilarious.

Kristoff emerged, shaking power from his long hair. "Sven?"

Sven's antler stubs popped out. Kristoff tugged him out with a hand on each one.

"'Thanks, buddy!' No problem. Sleigh okay?"

Sven nudged the snow with his big, wet snout. Kristoff started digging.

"That's not your only problem." Jack picked up one of the boy's boots. "Lose something?"

He shook the boot above the lad's head, but it didn't do much. Jack sighed and dropped it back into the snow. Figured.

Kristoff and Sven pushed the sleigh out of the bank. It was totaled. A plank of wood broken off, no more skis, chips and nicks everywhere...

"Aw, come on!" groaned the adolescent. Sven made an irritated huff, rearing a bit in exasperation.

Shaking his head, Jack turned and flew away. He knew one person wouldn't ignore him.

Elsa's furniture was being rearranged. The servants were moving her vanity and tea set, her table and chairs. They were airing out her rug by the open widow when Jack flew in. They hadn't moved the bed yet.

He held the edge of his shawl up against his nose to shield his face from the dust of the rug, stepping from the window seat to the floor.

If the servants were here, whatever, but why wasn't Elsa making sure they moved everything to her satisfaction? He didn't see her.

Then he spotted the heel of a turned-over slipper from underneath the bed. He felt himself smile.

Jack army-crawled into the shadows beneath the sleeping spot, ending up on his belly, right next to Elsa.

"Allergic to spring cleaning?" Jack asked casually.

Elsa jumped. "Shhh!" she whispered. "I'm hiding."

"Ah." Jack ducked his head and lowered his voice. "From what?"

Elsa pointed.

Jack squinted in the direction her finger gestured to. "A really polished pair of shoes?"

Elsa grunted. "No. The servants."

"Why?"

She gave him a glance full of nervous energy. "Well, I had hot chocolate this morning."

Jack blinked. "Okay."

"Anna and I get really hyper if we have chocolate. It's like her favorite thing in the whole kingdom. Mama says we get it from Papa."

"And...?"

"And I can't conceal when I'm hyper." Elsa drummed her fingers in front of her. Blue light glowed on the ground in the split second each digit touched the floor. Her legs wiggled.

Jack, amused, used the hook in his staff to pull her feet back out of sight. "So you think they're gonna notice your gift."

"My curse," muttered Elsa.

"But we've been practicing," Jack protested. "You can at least keep it in for a few hours now, right?"

"Hot chocolate," she reminded him, tilting her head in an impatient way.

Jack laughed. She tensed at the sudden volume, though she knew no one could hear him but her.

"I say we jump out and scare them," he whispered, leaning in enticingly.

Elsa shook her head hard. "If I get too excited it'll all just...pop out."

"Pop out?"

"Yeah."

"Pop?"

"Yes!" Elsa hissed, giggling.

"What? Snow doesn't pop. It dances. Like...court jesters."

"Okay, it'll dance out."

"On three."

"Huh?"

"On three we get 'em. One.."

"Wait-"

"Two!"

"Jack, no!"

"Three, let's go!" He shuffled, trying crawl out.

"No!" Elsa dragged him back by his white sleeve. "They can't find us!"

She'd spoken too loud. A polished black shoe tapped hers. "Princess Elsa?"

Jack grinned at her. Elsa scowled back.

Elsa clambered out from under the bed. "Y-Yes?" she stammered.

"Forgive me, miss," came the kind, uppity tone of a butler, "but whatever are you doing on the floor?"

Elsa rubbed an arm. "Um...I..."

Jack stood up, brushed himself off, and watched her sink further into humiliation.

"Think fast," Jack advised teasingly.

"I-I...that is...I was just...I was just, er, looking for something."

"There you go."

"Oh? For what?" The bald servant's eyebrows raised, concerned.

Elsa looked up at the man frantically. "For..."

Jack glanced around. He spied one of her gloves on her nightstand and slid it onto the ground with his staff, kicking it under the bed quick as a wink.

Elsa saw it out of the corner of her eye. "M-My...my glove!"

"Your...glove, Princess?"

"Yes, yes, my glove!" Elsa stooped low to tug it out. "Found it!" She put it on. Jack slid the other one into the hand that was behind her back. She held her now-covered hands up for the servant to observe. "See? Matching again."

"Together at last," Jack added, aware it wouldn't help even if it could be heard. Elsa had to fight a small smile.

The man looked bewildered. "I'm so sorry. We would've helped, surely, if we'd..."

"No, that's fine!" Elsa threw the door open. Her heartbeat had accelerated. She felt a familiar tickle on her skin, a swirl in her chest. "I can do the rest anyway. You can go."

"But-"

"All of you!" Elsa interrupted quickly. "Thank you for the help."

"If you're sure..."

"Yes! Go!"

The servants walked out in an orderly line, each giving her a smile. They couldn't leave fast enough, it seemed.

Elsa locked the door and slumped against it. "That was close."

"I've seen worse." Jack walked in wide steps along the wooden end of her bed, staff over his shoulder. "So when do you come down from the cocoa?"

"I dunno." Elsa's face turned a bit pink. "I hate it when this happens. I start talking like Anna."

Jack hopped down. "Really?" His voice had a mischievous, interested rise to it.

"Yes," sighed Elsa. "It gets embarrassing."

"What do you do to shake it?" Jack wondered.

"I usually just sit still for a while. Sometimes I hear Anna running up and down the stairs till it wears off. I heard her do it earlier." She looked at her feet, missing her sister's glee.

"We could do that," Jack offered.

Elsa stared at him. "But I can't see-"

"I know, I know," Jack held up a hand. "I'll make sure she's busy."

With that, he winked and left the room, calling, "Back in a minute!"

Elsa closed the door behind him, heart lifting. When Jack came to visit, as he did at least twice a week, she felt lighter than she could remember feeling in a long time.

Jack sat on the bannister at the top of the stairs. Anna would need to be at least outside in the yard when Elsa left her room. He would prefer drawing the two sisters together, but his ice-riddled friend wouldn't hear of it. Elsa was too afraid of herself to even talk to Anna.

He heard a voice rambling on down the hallway, getting closer.

Young, lanky Anna appeared, tossing an apple back and forth from hand to hand. She was chattering away to what seemed like no one in particular.

"I mean, I think it's kinda cool when it frizzes up. Only when it's hot out. And then I break like seven whole brushes trying to smooth it out. Mama had to help with the braids. Sometimes I try to do-"

Here she glanced up at an old photo hanging from the wall.

"Don't roll your eyes at me, Sam. If you don't like girl talk you can just get right back on that horse and ride into the sunset."

Jack cocked his head and narrowed his eyes at her, arm slung over a drawn-up knee on the bannister.

"Are you...talking to pictures?" he asked her aloud.

Anna sighed and sat against the door to Elsa's room. She couldn't hear his question. Her eyelids dropped and the apple rolled from her fingers across the carpet.

"Except you can't," she muttered in continuation to the photo. "'Cuz you're just a painting." Another, heavier sigh.

Anna stood and knocked on the door. She cleared her throat. "'Hem...E-Elsa? D'you...um...you wanna, maybe, climb that big oak outside? Or...we could ride our bike. The one with two seats? You can pedal. Oh, but I might be too big now. Yeah." Anna bit her lip and looked down at herself. "I mean-I'm not out of shape or anything! Promise! And you're not either! Not saying that. I think. I can't see you, so..." She used her heel to rub the back of her other ankle. "Just...if you aren't...we could..." She leaned her head back against the door. "Do you wanna build a snowman?"

Jack knew if Elsa had heard him say all that instead, she'd laugh at the babble. But it was Anna. Even Anna's voice troubled his friend. He also knew she was listening. She always listened. Never responded.

Anna seemed to know only half of that. She turned and began walking back toward her room.

Jack, caught up in his sympathy for her, shook himself and jumped from his seat. He slid in front of Anna, flinching as she passed through his body in a wispy blue blur.

"Hey, I've got an idea," he said. He swirled his staff in the air above her. "You like snow?"

He let a breeze carry a noticeable amount of fat snowflakes over her shoulder.

"Come on!"

Anna, gasping, followed it down the stairs. Jack slid down the rail and kept control of the breeze.

It led her outside.

Jack didn't stop there. The snowflakes shot high above the wall and disappeared.

Anna stumbled after them, tilting her head back to watch them go. "Aw. For a second I thought something fun was happening."

Jack rubbed his chin. "Huh."

He flew after his snowflake brigade.

Staff in his right hand, Jack guided the snowflakes to where a certain blonde was sharing a carrot with a young reindeer.

The breeze blew into Kristoff's face. He shivered, nose coldest of all.

Blue sparks did a jig in front of his eyes. Kristoff laughed; he didn't know why. It just felt good.

Jack's snowflakes whipped around Kristoff's head in a circle, then zipped across the bridge to the front walls of the castle.

Kristoff barely felt in control of his own square-shaped feet. He rushed after the snow, Sven on his heels.

Kristoff watched the snowflakes get buffeted up above the wall, then melt right then and there.

When he actually reached the wall about three steps later, he'd been going too fast and smashed his nose into the wall itself.

"Ow!" Kristoff grumbled.

Anna, directly on the other side, perked up. "Hello?"

Kristoff heard it; the wall wasn't as solid as it seemed on the inside. "Yeah?" he muttered, rubbing his nose.

Anna gasped. "Oh my gosh, hi! Hi person!"

Kristoff raised his eyebrows. He exchanged a glance with Sven. He shrugged. Sven shrugged.

"Uh...hi...um, Wall." He coughed. "How's it going?"

Jack, perched on top of the wall, watching each pre-teen on either side at the same time, grinned.

Anna chortled. "No-it's me-I'm a girl."

"Oh. 'Kay." Kristoff straightened his shoulders. "Well-"

"No, wait! Come back!"

Kristoff grunted. "I didn't go anywhere."

"Right. Right. Okay, um..." Anna ran both hands down a braid uncomfortably. "What's your name?"

"Kristoff."

"Cool! Nice to meet you, Kr...uh...Wait, say again?"

Kristoff sighed. "Kristoff."

Sven nudged him with his nose.

"And Sven. He's here too." The boy smiled.

"You're seven? You don't sound seven."

The middle fell out of Kristoff's smile. "No, I'm not seven! Sven! My reindeer!"

"See, that makes more sense."

Kristoff groaned.

"Who's a good reindeer?" Anna was speaking in a patronizing baby voice now. "Who's a nice fluffy reindeer?"

Sven grunted, but he seemed to be smiling.

"I got it! Dig under the wall, Sven!" Anna clapped her hands together.

Kristoff's eyebrows lowered. "You don't tell him what to do. I do!" He glanced at Sven. "Can you do that?"

Anna listened eagerly, ear pressed against the wall.

"'But I'd chip a hoof!' Don't be such a baby. 'I won't!' Sven! What else is there to do around here?"

Anna's eyes widened. "Your reindeer can talk?"

Kristoff huffed. "Whoever you are, you don't get out much, do you?"

"When you say 'much'..." Anna rocked back and forth on her heels. "Sorry, Kringle, I'm just rusty at this."

"Kristoff."

"I've never been in a kick-off. Sounds painful."

"No, Kristoff! You called me Kringle. That's not my name."

"Then what is it?"

"Kristoff!" He growled. "I just said that. Kris-"

"Christopher, got it."

"No! I'm Kristoff!"

"Stop yelling at me!"

"You stop yelling! You're getting on my nerves."

Anna crossed her arms. "Well, you're not exactly great conversation either, mister. Here I am yakking away to pictures all day and you're out there with your seven reindeer and sunshine and actual, real live people..."

Kristoff rubbed his eyes. "Uh huh. Come up for air, feistypants."

Jack chuckled. They'd be a while. Time to get back to Elsa.


	4. Chapter 4: Sick Day

**(Author's Note: I remember one of you asked for a sickfic chapter, and I thought that was a fantastic idea {plus I can't resist the whipped cream, hot fudge, sprinkles, and a cherry on top plea}. So here you go, smurfsandharrypotterrock12! Enjoy, you guys! ~Doverstar)**

When most people have a fever, they feel cold on the inside and hot on the outside. For a 14-year-old like Elsa, with ice running through your veins, you'd think it was the opposite. Actually, it was worse. For the first time in a long time, the cold was bothering her. The maids couldn't get her enough blankets.

Jack arrived through the open kitchen door downstairs. When he flew up to Elsa's floor, Anna was positioned as usual outside her sister's room.

She was trying to peek through the keyhole.

"Elsa!" she called. "Do you need anything? I can get you some soup! I can...ummm...I can bring you some tissues! Yeah! And a book! ...Elsa?"

Jack dropped down beside her. "Soup?" He waved a hand in front of her face, knowing it'd do no good. "What's going on, Freckles?"

"She's sick."

Jack jumped. Had she...had she actually heard him? Was he becoming visible?

"I dunno what we're gonna do, Sam."

Oh. The paintings. Dang it.

"She won't answer me." Anna suddenly jerked upright, gasping, backing up through Jack's body. "I bet she's sleeping! Oops. Elsa, are you sleeping? I'm sorry! Keep sleeping! I'll get you that soup!"

She bolted downstairs.

Jack leaned his head against his staff, watching her go. Anna made him laugh. "Sick, huh?"

He opened the door and quickly closed it behind him. The fireplace was roaring in Elsa's large bedroom. He didn't feel the heat.

"Faking it isn't gonna keep her quiet, y'know." Jack chuckled, walking toward the bed.

A sneeze that sounded more like a gag came from the mound of covers.

Jack pulled them back a bit. His head reared. "Woah!"

Elsa's nose was red and raw. Her cheeks were flushed, and her lips were pale. Her eyes were puffy and bloodshot. She coughed and looked like she was exhaling acid. Her hair was a huge mess-at least what he could see of it beneath the blankets.

"Not faking. Right." Jack ran a hand through his hair. He crouched beside the bed. "Elsa?"

She blinked blearily at him. "I'm cold."

Jack smiled. "Thought the cold didn't bother you, kiddo."

"Fourteen."

He tilted his head. "Huh?"

"M'fourteen. I'm not a kid."

He grinned. "Right."

Jack sat on the bed beside her, leaving his staff on the floor. He was careful not to touch her, knowing he couldn't offer an ounce of warmth.

"Didn't know you were having a sick day," he said quietly, kindly. "How are we gonna practice?"

Elsa coughed and winced. "I did."

Her eyes drifted to the headboard of the bed.

Jack followed her gaze. He sprang up.

The headboard was blue and glittering with frost! At its top a pile of snow was lined. Around the bed, on the ground, frost crawled and hardened. How had he not noticed?

"What happened?"

Elsa stared at him, as if not hearing him. Then she blinked a few times and mumbled, "I practiced because I thought it would keep me awake."

"Awake?"

"I didn't wanna admit to being sick. Then the fever came and it...went everywhere."

"We gotta get this fixed," he cried. "Your sister's gonna be back any minute!"

Elsa groaned. She tried to sit up. Jack gently pushed her back down.

"Just rest," he said. "I'll take care of it."

He picked up his staff and concentrated. He couldn't exude any kind of heat to melt it, but maybe he could reverse it. He'd shot his powers through the staff before, like letting out a big breath he'd been holding. Maybe sucking air in could work the same way.

Jack inhaled very slowly, just for good measure. He pointed the staff at the snow on the headboard. Little by little, the snow vanished.

A knock of five came at the door. "Elsa?"

Jack glanced over his shoulder anxiously. Anna was outside!

"It's chicken noodle!" There was the sound of a spoon sliding around a bowl. "It's chicken noodle and I'm gonna drop it, so can I come in?"

Jack gritted his teeth. The ice hadn't left the floor around the bed, and the headboard was still a mystic blue. Not good. Bad.

"Oh, and I snuck you some chocolate in case you wanted it! We didn't have the kind with fruit on the inside so I just grabbed, you know, everything, and I figured if you were too pukey to eat it I could help! That okay?"

Jack flinched. "No, no no no no," he muttered, fingers tightening around his staff.

"Elsa?"

He bent his head and focused.

"I'm coming in!"

"Just a second!" Jack called, hoping he sounded like one of the servants or something. Then he hit his forehead with the heel of his hand. Idiot! She couldn't hear him!

The door handle jiggled.

Jack pointed the staff at the ice on the floor. "Come on, come on," he mumbled.

Elsa stirred. "What's going on?" she croaked.

Jack didn't answer. "Come on, please..."

He heard a clatter outside.

"Whoops!" Anna yelped.

A thump against the door, probably her knee. He could picture her trying to balance the tray from the kitchens while reaching to turn the door handle.

The ice disappeared. "Yes!"

A small splash echoed in the hall.

"Good thing we have maids," Anna mumbled to herself with a huff of a nervous laugh.

"Woah-soup sliding, soup sliding! Got it. Crisis averted. Elsa, are you awake yet?"

The handle turned at last.

Jack turned all his energy on the headboard. The blue turned back to brown wood, a small circle of it in the center that spread outward until the magic had gone.

He slumped against the wall in relief.

Anna had taken her hand from the handle now. "There go the chocolates. One sec!"

Elsa's head came up. "Anna..."

Jack heard the tray being set down.

"Elsa? Is that you? Omigosh, are you talking to me? That's great! That's...ahem. Did you toss your cookies? Wait. Did we even bake cookies this week? I would've eaten the batter. Except I hate eggs. Remember that one time the chef put too much cheese on my omelette and I picked it up the wrong way and the cheese was all melted? And it just came glopping out in little strings?" She gasped. "This is making you nauseous, right? Sorry! I'm sorry! Think of something good. Like, something not gross. Gross things are gross. Like dead birds. Um, no, wait, not like dead birds! Birds aren't dead! No bead dirds-I mean, dead birds! Those too. ...Okay, sorry. Think of how stupid I am. Right? Not dead birds! O-or cheese. Think stupid Anna! Yeah!"

Jack put a hand over his eyes and laughed from deep in his chest.

"Anyways!"

Drunk with euphoria at the thought of actually having a conversation with her isolated, bed-ridden sister, Anna was determined to continue.

"Are you okay? I brought soup! Be there in a minute, heavy stuff."

Elsa sneezed. She sat up halfway and Jack felt dizzy for her. "No..." she called meekly. "Don't."

You could practically feel Anna's disappointment seeping through the wood.

"But it'll only take a second. I-I'll put my scarf-" her voice became muffled, as if she were doing it now, "-over my mouth and I won't catch it."

"No, Anna! Go away." Elsa was thrown into a bout of coughing.

There was a moment devoid of a response that seemed to stretch forever.

Finally, Anna's voice drifted back to them, with a forced lightness that made Jack's heart sink for her. He knew what it was to force cheerfulness. You did it because you couldn't bear the constant silence.

"Okay. I'll just, I'll eat it...for you. And if you change your mind...I'll come in and-I dunno, tell you jokes or something." A laugh without mirth punctuated her offer.

One hot tear managed to run down Elsa's rosy cheek. "No thank you." Her tone was rough.

Anna's footsteps sounded like their echoes were following each other down the endless halls. Each echo seemed lonelier than the last. How many times a day did Anna hear those steps, feel their ache?

Five minutes later, Jack's gaze was still fixed on the door. Maybe Elsa wasn't the only one who needed him...

A short shriek came from the bed.

Jack rushed to its side. His blue eyes darted across the pile of blankets, underneath which his friend shivered and writhed.

Elsa whimpered. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry..."

She was talking in her sleep.

"Come back! I don't know how to...please, Anna...please...wake up...wake..."

Jack tucked the blanket in under her. Should he wake her? Sounded like a nasty sort of nightmare, the kind you get when you've got a nice, shaky fever. Was it dangerous to interrupt her rest?

"Where are your parents, Princess?" he murmured, not trying to rouse her but merely feeling helpless aloud. "How come they're not here for you?"

He left the room, just for a moment, to investigate that. Maybe he could lead them to her room.

Upon searching the house and eavesdropping on the staff, Jack discovered that Elsa's parents had gone out to fetch a doctor themselves.

Anna was in the ball room, chatting to the pictures on the wall, telling them it wasn't Elsa's fault she was sick and that she was probably grumpy because she was hungry. Jack noticed she had left the tray by the bedroom door upstairs, neat and still steaming.

"You're a good kid," he told her, sitting on one end of the lounge seat she was sprawled in, her arms behind her head as she looked up at a picture of a knight. "Don't worry. It'll get better."

Anna, of course, behaved as if he didn't exist. He watched her optimistic smile and her freckles dancing, her honey-colored braids and her love for green velvet. She really was very brave, bright in contrast to the gloom in her life.

Jack hurried back to Elsa's room. If she wouldn't let Anna or the servants in, and her parents were out on an errand, it was up to him to care for her until they got back.

Invisible winter amnesiac will nurse the ice princess back to health and make sure she doesn't freeze the kingdom when she sneezes.

Check.

He got the soup from outside Elsa's door and sat her up to pour a bit into her mouth, the warm broth soothing her throat. She dropped back onto her pillow and continued her fitful sleep. Her eyes had been closed the whole time.

Jack sat on the end of the bed watching over her. Every time she cried out in her sleep, her magic would shoot from her foot or hand, and Jack would patiently undo the damage.

No wonder she didn't want any visitors! A sick Elsa could be as dangerous as she herself always feared. In this state, she had absolutely no control over her powers.

And that wasn't the only thing, she'd lost control of, apparently.

Some people also get delirious when feverish.

* * *

Jack was minding his own business. Basically. He'd been sitting there for an hour and was bored to tears, but determined to stick with Elsa. Even if there was loads of mischief to cause around a castle that was currently King-and-Queenless.

He was just playing with his staff in both hands. He hadn't meant to knock the vase off her nightstand with a gust of wind.

Who keeps a vase on their nightstand at fourteen years old anyway? It wasn't his fault.

Nevertheless, while the vase didn't break, he did indeed manage to rouse Elsa.

She was not completely awake. He could tell from the film over her eyes and the tired rasp to her voice.

Well, he couldn't exactly tell right away. Even delirious, Elsa was eloquent and seemed very eager to make sense of some kind.

"What-what-" she glanced around, sitting up, startled by the noise the vase had made clattering to the floor.

Jack crouched in front of her on the ground, beside the head of the bed. "Hey, hey, it's okay, it's okay-it's just me. See?"

Elsa stared at him with unfocused eyes. "...Jack?"

He nodded and smiled. "How you feeling?"

Elsa blinked. "Do you have...what time is it?"

Jack shrugged. "Little bit past lunch."

"It's cold."

"Well, you got the fire going. Kinda warm in here if you ask me." Not that he could feel it.

"No. Jack. Lunch is cold. I want..."

She coughed a few times and he realized Anna had neglected to get some water when fetching the soup.

"I'm gonna get you a drink. I'll be right back."

Elsa watched him go to the door with huge, horrified eyes. "No!" she suddenly screeched. "Don't go!"

Jack stopped. "I'm just-"

"You can't leave." Elsa started to cry. "Don't leave. I hate it."

"But..." Jack's eyebrows came down in confusion and unplaced pity. "Hate what?"

"Being...here. Alone! You can't go, you promised! It's too cold. I hate it."

That was when he began to realize she wasn't fully awake. Elsa was better than this at hiding her feelings.

"You're gonna be all right," he told her gently. "I'm not gonna go away. Just getting some water."

Elsa buried her face in the pillow and sobbed.

Jack, completely disoriented, went to the bed and put a hand on her blanket mound. "I'm not leaving, Elsa, look. You need a drink, right? Helps the coughing. You wanna stop coughing, don't you?"

Elsa shook her head.

Jack sat on the bed, chortled, and played along. "Then what do you want?"

She said something, but the pillow kept it from him.

"Huh?"

Elsa lifted her head. "You." She turned herself around and sat with all her weight on her palms, looking just past his shoulder, as if he were a bit further away than reality told her. "You stay. Don't leave-I'm going...by myself..."

Jack nudged her very carefully back into a laid-down position. "Go back to sleep, Princess. I'm not going anywhere."

"Yes you are."

"No."

Elsa sat up again like Dracula. "You have to go...back to get water. For lunch. You have to get the water."

He tried to lay her back down, but she kept bobbing up. Poor thing. "You said you wanted me to stay, so I'm staying."

He didn't know how he knew what to say, or how to deal with this. Maybe he was just good with kids? It felt like he must've done things like this before...but that wasn't right. He wasn't anyone before he was Jack Frost, so...

"You're not?" Elsa yawned. "Going. You aren't leaving?"

Jack smiled. "Nah, I'm all yours."

Elsa leaned forward and dropped her forehead against his shoulder, exhausted by this little bit of conversation. He pulled that side of his brown shawl over her to keep her comfortable, not sure it'd do much. It was covered in frost the same way he was. It marked his skin and patterned his tunic. It coated the bottom of his feet and glistened underneath his fingernails. Obviously frost was part of him, not just his given last name.

Elsa mumbled something, pulling him out of his thoughts.

"What was that?" he asked, looking down at his companion.

"You're very warm."

Warm? Jack couldn't help giving her a wide-eyed look. "I'm...I-I'm what?"

"Warm."

His eyebrows lowered halfway over his eyes. "What do you mean?"

"Your...the eyes. When you smile. It's in the smile a lot. You're warm, Jack."

You're warm, Jack. The last thing he expected to be said of him. Warm. No he wasn't. He was cold! Ice cold. Bitter. Uncomfortable. Biting. Tingling. Irritating. But never ever warm.

"When did you get so warm, Jack?" Elsa asked, closing her eyes. "Smiling."

Jack put an arm around her shoulders to hold her up. "I dunno." His voice was soft. "Guess I got it from you."

"Okay." Elsa sniffled. "Me."

"Yeah." Jack grinned. "Feel that? I'm melting, Princess." He hugged her sideways, closer with one hand. "You're melting me."

Elsa didn't answer. She was asleep.

Well, no, not quite.

She opened her eyes. "Jack?"

"Yeah."

"You...you're my best friend. Right?"

Jack's heart filled. "Right."

"You won't go away."

"Never."

"Ever." Her eyelids fluttered. "What about water? Lunch water. You forgot to get...the water."

Jack cocked his head. "Want me to get it now?"

"No!" She hugged him with both arms like a cute little toddler with her favorite doll, determined to keep the only person in her room with her at all times.

Jack thought he felt a rib crack, she was squeezing so tightly. Strong for a sick girl. "That cough's gonna get worse, kiddo. I gotta get you a drink."

"M'coming too."

"No, you rest. I promise I'll be right back."

"Jack!"

"What is it?" He stopped at the door, distraught by the panic in her tone.

"Where's Anna?"

"Probably downstairs."

"I..." Elsa gawked at her hands. "She can't come back. I did it."

"No, listen, she's fine. She's okay."

Elsa was looking at him, watching his lips move as he spoke, but not registering what he was saying. "Mama. Papa. What's..."

"They're okay too. It's all right. You're safe. They're safe. I'll be back in a second."

Her hair was sticking up out of her braid. Some of her bangs hung into her eyes. Even bloodshot, she had some really nice eyes. Sick or not, when she wasn't all primped and elegant, it started to dawn on him that his little Elsa was becoming an extremely pretty young royal. Especially those eyes.

Jack caught himself and shook his head a little. The extremely pretty young royal needed him to focus. Moron. "One water, comin' up!" he said cheerfully.

"Hurry," she said sleepily, laying back against her pillows. "It's cold when you're gone."

* * *

When Jack came back with the water, Elsa was having a much less fitful slumber. She was breathing normally; some of the color had faded in her cheeks. He needed the recipe for that soup. Genius!

When he set the goblet down on her nightstand, Elsa's eyes opened. They were not in the least bit bloodshot or puffy, but sharp and lively.

She rolled over to look up at him. "Jack?"

Jack waved. "How you feeling?" he whispered.

"When...when did you get here?"

"This morning." Jack's eyebrows knit together. "I've been here all day."

"You don't have to be so quiet. I'm..." Elsa sat up, flustered. "All day?" she repeated. Her voice sounded better too.

"Yeah. Mostly. Got you that water." He held it up and wiggled it a little before handing it to her.

Elsa took a sip and her eyes became brighter. "Thanks."

He sat on the end of the bed. "You don't remember?"

She put the cup down. Then she rubbed her eyes. "Remember what?"

"Uh..." Jack wondered how to explain. It wasn't awkward, it was just difficult. "Anything before now, I guess."

Elsa shook her head and pulled her blanket up around her shoulders. She looked like she was in a blue cocoon.

"Mama and Papa went to fetch a doctor. I said I wasn't sick...then I tried practicing with-you know. And then...I started feeling cold. Really cold, for once." She grunted. "I felt sick and...and I..."

She gasped. Jack ran a hand through his hair.

"Did I-what did I do?" Elsa glanced around the room, edgily leaning over to see the floor. "I couldn't control-"

"I took care of it," Jack said quickly. "It's fine."

Elsa winced. "Are you sure?"

"Positive."

She gave her room another once-over. Then she stared at Jack. "You...fixed it?"

He shrugged.

Elsa continued to watch him, making him fidget. "You stayed here." She caught sight of the empty bowl on her nightstand, the extra blanket on her feet. "You were...Jack, were you looking after me? All day long?"

"Well..." He leaned back on his palms. "Sort of. Your sister helped."

Elsa smiled a small, rare smile. "Thank you."

"Don't mention it."

There was a moment of silence. Then Elsa said nervously, "Did I...'hem, did I throw up?"

Jack raised an eyebrow. "Oh yeah. Everywhere."

"What?" Elsa looked disgusted. "Really?"

He grinned. "Nah."

"Jack!" She coughed a little, squinting at him in annoyance.

He chuckled. "You got a fever, though."

"I gathered that." Elsa lifted a shoulder. "I don't usually feel cold."

Frost grunted. She was so proper these days. Getting formal. It increased the older she got. He was making a habit of trying to get her to goof around.

Elsa went on, feeling better for using her voice properly. It kept the coughing at bay. "That's prob'ly why I can't remember. When I get fevers, it just takes over everything. I mean, that's what Papa said once."

He nodded. "Everything, huh?"

Elsa caught a hint of amusement in his tone. Uh oh. "What?" If Jack was amused... "What happened?"

Jack's eyes came up. "Not much. You got kind of..._off_...there for a bit. No worries."

"Did I talk to you?"

"Ah..." Jack rubbed the back of his neck. "A little."

Elsa groaned. "What did I say?"

He chortled.

Oh no. "Was it humiliating? Did I say something...ridiculous? Jack?"

He couldn't stop grinning. She mistook it for teasing and moved to kick him, huffing. "Tell me!"

"Hey!" He put his hands up defensively. "You just didn't want me to go anywhere. You were cold. Nothing ridiculous."

Elsa tilted her head. "So then...why are you smiling?"

Jack picked up his staff. He went to the window and saw the King and Queen's carriage arrive through the gates.

"Jack-why are you smiling?" Elsa demanded.

He glanced back at her. "'Cuz it's warmer that way."

She gave him a confused look. It was like a dog tipping its head to one side. But she was cuter.

With a two-finger salute, Jack let the wind carry him away from the castle for the day, out the window. Elsa's parents could take care of her for the rest of the week if need be. Right now he just wanted to savor this sudden feeling of content-and satisfaction. Bliss. Where did it come from? He wasn't sure. He didn't care. It felt too good to care.

* * *

**(Next chapter coming up! Anything you'd like to see? Detailed reviews are squealed over! ~Doverstar)**


	5. Chapter 5: Forgotten Gifts

"Up and down. See?"

"Like this?"

"Kinda. Your hands are moving too much. You gotta keep still."

Elsa raised an eyebrow at her mentor. "You of all people-telling me to sit still?"

"Just your hands," Jack smirked.

Elsa couldn't help it. Her hands shook when she held them up. She hated not having her gloves. Jack wanted to help her, but he refused to teach her anything when she wore the magic-containing gloves. She closed her eyes and moved both hands up and down, one over the other, like she was already encompassing a snowball.

Nothing happened.

Elsa sighed. She was too poised to groan or scoff or throw herself about; she just sighed. They'd been practicing this for hours. Jack insisted it was the most basic of steps when it came to controlling winter, so it ought to be a quick lesson. Yeah. Why couldn't she just snap her fingers and ace it like that? She'd had enough experience with it before...before the accident.

Jack didn't seem frustrated with his 15-year-old pupil. He wasn't even impatient. "You'll get it," was all he said.

Elsa turned to face him. "What if I can't? It's growing. It's getting harder to conceal."

"So don't."

"Don't?" Elsa held her fists close to her chest. "Don't what? Don't conceal it?"

Jack watched her, knowing she was about to spiral into fear again.

"I have to! If I-"

"Look, what sounds better? Being cooped up in here for the rest of your life 'cuz you tried to hide everything..." Jack set his staff against the wall. "Or figuring out how to work it so you can have some fun and live a little? You might even go out in the halls in daylight." He grinned.

"I told you, it's not that easy!" Elsa hugged herself. He could get so impertinent. "You don't understand. You've never hurt anyone with your powers."

Jack's smile faded. Maybe he had. He'd tried everything to get noticed over the centuries, but none of it worked. Maybe in all those experiments, he'd left some stranger worse off. Or maybe he'd hurt someone before the Moon told him his name. He could never be certain, and that was the awful part.

Of course, now someone could see him. Now he had Elsa. Graceful, nervous, clever, blue-eyed Elsa. He was pretty much sold out for her. He'd stick around as long as she needed him to, never mind want. If she needed his persuasion to control instead of to conceal, he'd bend over backward to help her. He wasn't a ghost anymore. She was all he had.

He was really getting attached.

"You're prob'ly right," he said, exhaling. "Let's take a break. Feel like a kitchen raid?"

Elsa blinked at him. "For what?"

"I heard the cooks were making some kinda fizzy strawberry drink. Sounded pretty good."

Elsa pulled her gloves on. "...Strawberry cider?" she said, a hint of wistfulness sparking.

Jack shrugged. "Only one way to find out." He went to the door, waiting for her to follow before making any sudden moves to the outside world. "Coming?"

Elsa glanced away.

"What?" Jack blinked, one pale hand on the door.

"It's...it's a little awkward, that's all."

"Strawberry cider?"

"No, be-"

"Sneaking down all those steps?"

"No-"

"That weird-looking chef with the third eye?"

Elsa laughed. "That's a mole!"

"Scary."

"It's awkward being around everyone out there." Elsa brushed off her skirt. "I rarely leave my room."

"Yeah, I noticed." Jack leaned his head on his staff. "We'll be quick. No worries."

No worries? If only she were more like Jack! Charming and fun-loving, swift and free as the wind. It wasn't fair-not that he was carefree and she couldn't be, but that she got to have him around so often. No one else could know him like she did. No one else could see him but her.

And that was odd. Why was it only she could speak to and hear him? He said it was because she had magic, but that couldn't be all of it. Someone so grand, so positively perfect...they couldn't be this real, could they? Was it just her magic conjuring him up when she got upset?

For a split second, out of the corner of her eye, she couldn't spot Jack anymore. It was like she blinked, and he'd disappeared, and when she blinked again, he was back. When he'd vanished, she glanced around for a few heartbeats, eyebrows dipping, wondering if he was playing a trick on her. How had he gone so quickly? Her pupils became distant as she tried to locate her friend.

"Jack...?"

"Elsa?"

"Oh!"

Jack was looking at her with those simmering warm eyes, but it wasn't a cheery expression in his handsome features any longer. She saw panic on his brow. He wasn't just looking at her, he was gawking, and when she glanced at his hand on the doorknob, she could swear his fingers trembled. He wouldn't take his eyes off her, as if staring at her would keep her own gaze fixed on him.

He moved his staff back and forth a little.

Elsa shook herself. "Sorry. Coming."

She made to walk by him out the door, but he caught her wrist on the way. She turned around, concerned for him.

"Hey, I'm here, Elsa," he murmured urgently. He tightened his grip. "You can see me. Right?"

Elsa searched his face for an explanation, but all she saw was an all-too-familiar fear: the fear of loneliness.

"Yes. O-Of course." Elsa glanced down at his hand holding hers; it was still shaking. She felt it. Why was he so afraid? He knew she'd always see him-she had sorcery in her veins. Why did he look so distraught?

Jack held her a second longer, as if to make sure, and then let go of her wrist. He nodded, just a bit, and then flew out the door and toward the stairs. "Keep up with me, Princess!"

Just like that, he was back to normal.

Elsa stepped out of the comfort of her huge room and looked around. It was unbelievably quiet. The windows and doors were all closed. No chirping from the birds outside. No music coming from the ballroom where Mama liked to practice her piano. No clanging around in the kitchens. Nothing.

"How does Anna stand it?" Elsa murmured, half to herself.

Jack's stick rested over his shoulder. "Same way you do." He glanced at the walls. "'Cept she's got the paintings to talk to."

"And I've got you," Elsa pointed out as they tiptoed down the hall.

Jack paused to give her an unimaginably giddy grin. "Yeah. You got me."

She closed her eyes and took a deep breath in through her nose. "Do you smell that?"

"Dust?"

"It smells like..." Elsa's eyes opened. The next word came out in an exhale of pleasure. "Chocolate!" She turned to Jack, excited. "They must be making dessert. Oh, it smells amazing! I can't remember the last time I had chocolate."

Jack's feet left the floor as a cloud of wind lifted him up a few inches, shawl fluttering. "Well then, what're we waiting for?"

Elsa smiled.

He dropped back down at the top of the stairs. "Race you!"

Elsa folded her hands in front of her. "But...what if someone sees me?"

"So?"

"I'm a Princess, Jack. I have to be mature. It's not...ladylike."

"Hm." Jack leaned against the staircase. "You know, you're right."

Elsa's eyebrows shot up.

"Yeah, I mean, what could be more unladylike than runnin' downstairs with your invisible friend?" Jack held up his palms in surrender. "'Specially that many steps. Tell you what-let's fly instead!"

Elsa tensed. "Fly?"

"More or less." Jack left the floor again to demonstrate. "Winter wind. Check it out."

Elsa's eyes widened. "That's incredible."

Jack shrugged. "You in?"

Elsa peeked over the bannister. "And you're sure no one's watching?"

Jack held out a hand. "Your Majesty."

Elsa took his hand, biting back an undignified giggle. A sudden gust of wind lifted her rambunctiously up beside him and swirled back and forth beneath her shoes. Elsa looked down, delighted, then switched her gaze to the hand holding hers. He always felt different than her parents or the servants did. To her it felt like the cloth of your favorite blanket in a strange room. According to himself, Jack could only ever bring a tingling cold with his touch. Elsa didn't need to tell him she didn't believe that. When she held his hand just now, she'd never been toastier. It was a grand sensation.

"What's up with your cheeks, Princess?" Jack asked suddenly, voice full of cockiness.

Elsa glanced quickly up at him. "What about them?"

"They're turning red."

Elsa realized her face did feel hot. That was interesting. Why? She always seemed so numb. Then she felt Jack's grip on her hand shift. Oh. Maybe it was because she'd never held a boy's hand before? That was probably it. Not because his eyes were, wow, so incredibly soft when she looked up at him and saw him staring back, or because he was smiling that small, troublemaking smile, or because his laugh sounded like a day of snow angels, or because he still didn't let go when they reached the bottom of the stairs. That couldn't be it, don't be ridiculous.

Jack tugged her behind a wall as one of the maids came scurrying down the hall. He held a finger to his lips and straightened his whole body like a statue. She copied him.

The maid strode past, carrying a teapot and steaming little chocolate cakes.

Jack dragged Elsa along until they came to the kitchens. Everyone was busy. Two chefs, three minor cooks, one other maid. The chocolate smell was so powerful Elsa wanted to find the cake batter and pour the whole thing down her throat. Talk about unladylike. It was that good.

They ducked behind a wooden island and Jack pointed to the barrel being filled with cider. He jerked his head toward it, but Elsa shook hers.

"C'mon!" Jack said, loud as you please; none of them could hear him.

"We can't."

"You really like that word, don't you?"

"No, I...it's...I just remembered." Elsa was whispering, fingering her braid with her free hand. "It's for tomorrow."

"Tomorrow?"

Elsa examined the piece of lint on her shoulder as if it were fascinating. "Anna's birthday."

Jack's eyes widened, just a little. "Wait. You forgot?"

"I was a bit distracted."

"With what?" He seemed genuinely outraged.

Elsa glowered at him. "Did I ever mention I have an invisible friend, Jack?"

Well, how was he supposed to get mad at that excuse? He broke into a grin. "He must be pretty cool if you forgot your sister's birthday for him."

"Oh, he's something, I'll tell you that much." She rolled her eyes. Then she sighed and looked away again. "First I ignore her, and now I forget her. What kind of sister am I?" She closed her eyes. "I'm horrid."

Jack's eyebrows pinched in sympathy. Then he brightened up. "I've got an idea."

He stood up and took a lurching step toward the barrels.

"Wait-I can't get noticed!"

"So stay here."

"Okay, but-" Elsa was pulled staggeringly to her feet. "Jack!"

He turned expectantly. "What?"

Elsa nodded to her hand. "You can let go now."

He looked down at his hand still attached to hers.

His eyes came back up and struck hers. "Huh." Slowly he dropped her hand and tightened the lace on his shawl. "No problem."

"Jack?"

"Yeah."

"Your face is turning red."

"Thanks, Princess."

* * *

The next day, morning sunlight streamed through the bedroom window as Anna threw her arms around her mother. "Thank you so much!"

She held a necklace with a green jewel on the end, outlined in gold. The chain was white, matching the streak in her hair.

"It's beautiful!" Anna emphasized. "I love it!"

"Happy Birthday, Anna," The Queen told her, hugging her back. "I hope it fits."

"It will." Anna attempted to put it on. It got caught in her hair, which had begun to come out of her braid. "Whoops. Okay-okay, just-I think I got it-ow-ow ow ow-little bit that way...there!" She grinned down at her gift as it hung around her neck. "Perfect."

Mama smiled. "You look gorgeous."

"Oh, I know." Anna rolled her eyes and grinned teasingly. "Hey, where's Papa? Isn't he up yet?" She went to the mirror, checking her necklace was straight.

"He's..." The Queen paused, hands in her lap, knowing this might get a lot of questions she couldn't answer. Questions regarding Elsa. "...He's with your sister. He'll be here soon."

Anna's smile faded a bit. "That figures," she said, faking a breathy chuckle. "What do they even do in there all the time?"

"He helps her study. Geography, Arendelle's history, going over the kingdom vows..." Her mother counted off her fingers. "It's a lot of work, being the eldest. She has to prepare to lead the land one day."

Anna ran her thumb over the jewel. "So much work she can't even build a stupid snowman once in a while?" Her voice was quiet.

Mama saw her daughter's reflection in the mirror, spotted the crystal tear racing down her cheek.

The Queen put her hands on Anna's shoulders. "She loves you very much, darling. You know that, don't you?"

"Then why doesn't she let me in?"

"She..." Her Highness couldn't answer that. Couldn't reveal Elsa's abilities.

Fortunately the King entered the room at that moment, rescuing her. "Happy Birthday, Anna!"

He presented her with a lovely yellow rose.

"Oh my gosh!" Anna squealed and put it in a vase, nearly tipping it over and splashing water onto the floor in the process.

"There's more."

Her father opened the door. A servant came in, carrying a leather, polished saddle.

Anna took it in both hands, confused. "What's this for?"

The King and Queen exchanged delighted glances.

"Come outside," her dad smiled, "and we'll show you."

Anna gasped as they led her out into the hall and down the stairs. "Are we opening the gates?"

"Not today," her mother responded. "But we've let someone in."

The door opened and Anna was taken out into the courtyard to meet her new horse.

The castle was quiet; half its inhabitants were outside. Jack stuck his head out the door of Elsa's chambers.

"All clear," he called.

Elsa tiptoed out. She carried a tray of the chocolate cakes and a pitcher of strawberry cider. Both were Anna's favorite and weren't supposed to even be seen by the birthday girl until supper. Elsa had also included an egg sandwich she'd made in the empty kitchen last night.

Jack followed her as she turned a corner, smoothed her blouse, entered her sibling's room and set the tray down on Anna's bed.

She took out a piece of parchment and a quill pen.

"Happy...birthday...Anna. Love...Elsa." Elsa read it aloud as she scratched out the words and set the paper onto the tray beside the meal. "Done."

Jack rubbed his chin with his thumb and a finger. It was too formal. Like a greeting card. She should've written something more. But he bit these comments back. "Nice handwriting. I didn't know you could do calligraphy."

"I'm still learning." Elsa shrugged a shoulder nonchalantly. "What do you think? Will...will she like it?" She wrung her gloved hands nervously.

Jack held up his palms. "Don't look at me; you're her sister."

Elsa's eyelids lowered sadly as she stared at the food. "You've spent more time with her than I have by now," she murmured. "I don't know her anymore."

Jack frowned and tightened his grip on his staff. "Hey, come on, don't say that. You're best friends."

"Once." Elsa took a deep breath. "We should go before she sees us."

"Sees you, you mean."

They went back to Elsa's room and the white-haired teen locked the door. Jack sat on her desk, ignoring the chair awaiting an occupant.

She was wearing a long face again. He couldn't stand that look.

"Wanna play a game?"

She shook her head.

"Come on. Hopscotch."

"No thank you."

Jack slumped off the desk and flew to her bed, walking along the baseboard on just his toes. "You know, you could see her if you want to."

"No, Jack, I couldn't."

"You can control it fine by now."

"You don't know that. I can't."

"I think you can. You're the smartest girl I know."

The compliment made her finally look at him, but his smile made her irritated, for some reason. How could he be so cheerful? Her life was wretched. He just didn't get it.

"I'm the only girl you know," Elsa mumbled.

"I know plenty girls."

She grunted. "But they don't see you."

"Nah."

"Why not?" Elsa raised an eyebrow. "How come I'm the only one?"

"Told you. You're special. You got magic." He got down and approached her, bringing them back around to the subject at hand. "Magic you can do whatever you want with."

Her eyebrows came down. "It's too strong."

"You're stronger."

"Right. I'm not ready."

Jack have her an affectionate look. "You're just scared."

"The older I get, the more it grows."

"Yeah, I know, but listen-"

"No! Jack, I don't wanna talk about this today."

"Hey, somebody has to try getting you-"

"It's not worth it!"

"Not worth it? Not worth seeing your sister?"

Jack was starting to get genuinely angry. Elsa's pity party had to be crashed. She wasn't the only one who was lonely behind those stupid walls.

"Guess what, Princess, it's her birthday!" he snapped. "And she's gonna spend it partying with pictures. You're not even trying!"

"Enough, Jack!" Elsa hugged herself, startled that he'd gotten upset so quickly. But she wasn't exactly in a sunshine mood either. "I could get her hurt. Again."

"Or you could keep it together and give her the only present she wants." Jack set his staff against the wall. "You. For one day, Elsa."

"Haven't you been listening?" Elsa at last let out a groan. "I-"

"If you say I can't-"

"It's true! I'm not strong enough. I'm not special. I'm too afraid." She shivered and sat on the floor.

Jack crouched in front of her. "Look-"

"Let me finish!" she burst out.

Jack fell silent.

"I'm afraid my powers will get my family killed. I'm afraid someone will find out and the kingdom will be ruined. I'm afraid I'll never be the right Queen. I'm afraid it'll always be like this. That I'll always be by myself, frightened and locked up."

Jack sat beside her at that. He didn't like repeating this, because just having to do so meant she might not agree with it. "Elsa," he exhaled, "you're never by yourself. You're stuck with me, remember?"

Elsa closed her eyes. She was achingly fond of her staff-wielding friend at this point, but what if he only hung about because she was the one person in the universe that knew he existed? He was always so comical, always having fun or trying to, insisting on being caged in this room with her-a room that seemed to grow smaller with every year of her life. He always wanted her to join in. Well, wouldn't you, if you were invisible, and the one teenage girl in the world who saw you had so much one-on-one time to take advantage of? Yes you would, of course you would. Was it like that with Jack Frost? He probably thought she was boring. And a downer. She was, but up till now she'd thought she had a good many reasons to be a boring downer. Suddenly she wanted to please him. She wanted to be the lighthearted friend he quite clearly needed. But there was so much fear...she couldn't just force it down. And here she was hiding from Anna on her birthday. Again. Anna was getting older and older. Elsa knew her sister's optimistic heart must be so fragile by this time. Especially today. And it was her fault.

"Did you hear that, Princess? I'm not going anywhere."

Jack nudged her in that ticklish spot.

Elsa leaned her head against his shoulder, more emotionally exhausted than any 15-year-old should be.

"I not sorry for myself, Jack," she mumbled, eyes filling. "I hate myself."


End file.
